Things Change
by Blimbo
Summary: Whitney leaves town, leaving Clark's feelings for Lana in turmoil. But when a tragic accident befalls Chloe, Clark is forced to make the hardest decision of his life...


~Thing's Change~  
  
by Blimbo  
  
Email: blonde_in_a_brunettes_body@hotmail.com  
  
Rating: PG- 13  
  
Summary: Whitney leaves town, leaving Clark's feelings for Lana in turmoil. But when a tragic accident befalls Chloe, Clark is forced to make the hardest decision of his life.  
  
Category: Wouldn't you like to know.  
  
Author's Notes: (or babblings more like it) Hey guys- I come from Oz and we are yet to see the season finale for season 1. If there are any mistakes with previous happenings, well, please just over look them. This is based after Crush, so. yeah.  
  
Part 1  
  
  
  
"Whitney!" Lana yelled at Whitney's retreating back, "Whitney, come back! I love you, I'll help you through this, just please don't leave." Her shoulders sunk in defeat as she saw Whitney round the bend of the road. Lana had listened in shock at Whitney's plans to leave town and move to Metropolis, never to return. 'It hurts too much,' he had explained. Lana jumped to feel someone put their arm around her shoulder.  
  
"Are you okay?" Lana looked up into the dark blue, caring eyes of her friend.  
  
"He.he.he.left me!" Lana's voice broke as she let the tears that had been welling in her eyes overflow.  
  
"Hey, it's okay," Clark said soothingly. He turned Lana around so that he could hug her, "don't worry, he'll come back. He loves you too much to go." Lana swung her brown eyes up to look at Clark in the face.  
  
"Are you sure? He sounded so determined." she trailed off.  
  
"Trust me," Clark cast his eyes to the sky, "we might want to get moving the clouds are starting to look very dark."  
  
"Fine." Taking Clark's hand, Lana started back towards the Talon, "Lex is probably wondering where I am. When Whitney came in and told me he was leaving and left, I didn't even think twice as I ran out the door. He's probably really mad."  
  
"Don't worry about it, you're talking to one of the owner's best friends. I'll be able to smooth it out in no time," Clark said, squeezing her hand reassuringly.  
  
"Thanks Clark. For everything."  
  
"No worries." They walked the rest of the way to the Talon in silence.  
  
***  
  
Clark stood looking out over Lana's house that night, wondering if she was okay after what had happened with Whitney. He had explained everything to Lex and Lex had let Lana's sudden absence slide.  
  
"Clark?" Clark spun around to see his girlfriend watching him intently.  
  
"Chloe, how's it going?" Clark walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Fine. I heard about Whitney. How's Lana holding up?"  
  
"Well. She's a little sad, as you can expect, and I think it will take her a while to get over it. She really needs her friends to be strong for her."  
  
"I figured. Well, you, me and Pete are going to be there for her no matter what."  
  
"Yeah," Clark mumbled into Chloe's hair, grabbing her into a huge bear hug.  
  
"Hello, need to breathe!" Chloe gasped.  
  
"Sorry," Clark apologised.  
  
"It's okay. What was the hug for?"  
  
"I just wanted to make sure that you're not going anywhere anytime soon."  
  
"Don't stress- I'm happy here in Smallville. Yes, I may have dreams of moving to Metropolis someday, but at the moment, I'm staying firmly planted in Smallville," Chloe smiled, "but thanks for the concern."  
  
"That's okay. You know I love you right?"  
  
"Of course I do Clark, and you know that I love you to right?"  
  
"Sure do. Now, how about we go and see Lana, to try and cheer her up. You in?"  
  
"Yeah- she's one of my friend's and she's in a time of need, so that was kinda a dumb question."  
  
"I know, I was just making sure that you were okay with it. Ready?" Clark put his hand out for Chloe to grab.  
  
"Sure. Let's go." Chloe bounced up off the couch and grabbed Clark's hand, dragging him down the stairs, away from the barn. On the way to Lana's, Clark continued the previous conversation.  
  
"So, I wonder why Whitney left. I mean, everything important to him is here- Lana, his mum, the school football team. I wonder what made him decide to go?"  
  
"Maybe the pressure of life without his father was too much, or everything brought back too many sad memories."  
  
"I guess. But poor Lana- I mean, she loves him with all of her heart. And I wonder what his mum thinks of the whole thing."  
  
"I bet she's really upset- after losing her husband and now her only son- she's all by herself."  
  
"But Chloe- he'd almost completed high school- why would he want to leave it so soon?"  
  
"Maybe he just had to go Clark," Chloe finished as she and Clark walked up Lana's front steps. Just about to knock on the door, Chloe heard a sob coming from the porch seat to her left.  
  
"Lana?" she questioned.  
  
"Chloe? Clark? Is that you?" Lana looked up to see two of her closest friends looking sympathetically at her. Chloe dropped Clark's hand and raced over to sit beside Lana, putting her arm over Lana's shoulders.  
  
"Lana- are you okay?" Clark inquired as he wandered over to where the two girls were sitting.  
  
"Yes.No!" she sobbed into Chloe's shoulder. Chloe looked up at Clark giving him a look as if to say 'What do I do?' Clark thought for a second and then reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean handkerchief, passing it to Chloe to give to Lana.  
  
"Lana- this could help," Chloe said as she gave Lana the handkerchief.  
  
"Thanks Chloe. Man, you guys are great. You come over here to cheer me up and all I do is blub all over Chloe's sweater. Look, it's all wet. I'm so sorry," Lana apologised, sniffling.  
  
"Hey, it's okay. I'm sure you'd be doing the same thing for me if Clark all of a sudden, up and left," Chloe said, looking up at Clark.  
  
"But there's no worry of that happening anytime soon," Clark said, "I couldn't leave two of my favourite girls sobbing over me like this- it's just so girlie!"  
  
"Thanks Clark," Lana replied, shooting him a watery smile, "but I hate to tell you this- I am a girl, so it is acceptable for me to cry when my boyfriend leaves town!"  
  
"Speaking of which- it may be none of my business, but why did Whitney leave town- I mean, he's left behind you, his mum, school- was life really that bad for him?"  
  
"The reason he left was that, after his father died, he just had too much on his mind and had to have some time away to clear his head. Well, at least that's what he told me- I think he may have skipped some of it, so as not to make me feel responsible," Lana said, tears once again filling her eyes.  
  
"Well, you know that we'll be here for you- and Pete and Nell too. But remember this Lana- he did it because he loved you. I bet he left so that he wouldn't hurt you."  
  
"But Clark, he did hurt me- why couldn't he tell me the whole truth!" Lana broke into heavy sobs again. Chloe shot Clark a look saying 'nice one brainiac'. Clark just shrugged.  
  
"Hey Lana- I'll tell you what you need- it's a nice long soak in a hot, bubbly bath and then an early night. I'm sure you'll feel better," Chloe suggested, trying to make up for the mess her boyfriend had created.  
  
"You're right Chloe- that sounds like a wonderful idea. Hey, thanks for coming over you guys. I'm just gonna go inside and have a bath. I'll see you tomorrow at school, okay?" Lana said as she stood up.  
  
"Great- we'll see you tomorrow Lana," Chloe replied as Lana headed for her front door.  
  
"Bye Lana," Clark said, grabbing Chloe's hand. After watching Lana go inside, Clark and Chloe headed hand-in-hand down the porch steps.  
  
"Clark, could you have been any more insensitive? I mean- 'I bet he left so that he wouldn't hurt you'- he did hurt her. He should've stayed- then he wouldn't have hurt her.  
  
"I'm sorry, okay. I didn't mean to hurt her. I was just trying to see it from Whitney's point of view. I mean, why does everyone have to make Whitney the bad guy?" Clark questioned forcefully.  
  
"Clark, I'm not going to fight about it with you. Here's my turn off- I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Chloe said, standing on her toes so she could kiss Clark's cheek. Letting go of his hand, she spun around to look back at Clark.  
  
"And another thing Clark- don't ever leave me."  
  
"I won't," Clark replied. Just as he turned around to head home, he heard a screeching of tyres.  
  
"Chloe!!" Clark screamed, trying to alert her of the oncoming car. 


End file.
